For hemorrhagic stroke, a
CT or
MRI scan with intravascular contrast may be able to identify abnormalities in the brain arteries (such as aneurysms) or other sources of bleeding, and structural MRI if this shows no cause. If this too does not identify an underlying reason for the bleeding, invasive
cerebral angiography could be performed but this requires access to the bloodstream with an intravascular catheter and can cause further stroke as well as complications at the insertion site and this investigation is therefore reserved for specific situations. If there are symptoms suggesting that the hemorrhage might have occurred as a result of
venous thrombosis, CT or MRI venography can be used to examine the cerebral veins.